A year later
by MatthewsMommy
Summary: Instead of coming back, Edward stayed away from Bella for a year. How would bella handle this... Eventually will turn into a Romance. Rated for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

What would have happened if Edward stayed away from Bella longer than he did. Will turn into a Bella/Edward if this turns out the way I want it. Please review so I know you all like it.

Chapter 1

EPOV

Its been a year. A very long year. Staying away from Bella was not the easiest thing to do. Watching through Alice's mind what Bella was doing to herself made it worse. I had to leave. Our family went to live in Alaska after we left that night, but I had to get away. I knew it was going to hurt my family but I could no longer watch Bella being so destructive to herself. I worked so hard to protect her from everyone else, little did I know, she was her worse enemy. I told myself it was still better I wasn't involved—eventually someone would intervene and she would be on a better course.

Easy for me to say. I have only found myself back in Forks once since I left. Alice had another awful vision of what Bella was doing. I had decided that I was going to get away from her for my own sanity. I grabbed my keys to the Aston Martin. I had to get away fast. I drove and drove but I found myself outside of Bella's window in Forks, Washington. I watched through the glass the girl I was in love with, destroy herself. How I wish I could hear her thoughts. If only I could make sense of why should would do this. Her body was more frail than ever before. She hadn't eaten in days. She was wasting away. Looking closely, I could see scars and fresh wounds that gave off her sweet odor on her wrist. The blood.

She was sitting on her bed, staring at a blank wall. Bags under eyes, her beautiful deep brown eyes were sunken in and sad. She went from sitting to laying on her bed, staring out the window, right at me, I tried hard to stay where should wouldn't notice me. She started to cry. From the broken thoughts somewhere else in the house, I knew from Charlie that this was not the first time she cried herself to sleep. She cried for the most part of the night, and dawn finally broke, she was just drifting off to sleep._ No wonder she looks tired, she can't stop crying long enough to fall asleep. Oh, how i wish I could just console her just this once._ But I knew I couldn't. I had to be strong. _ Its better for her. She is safer this way than with a vicious monster like myself._ I took one last look and walked back to my car. As I drove off, my frozen heart broke. How I hated this.

After that I left Forks, promising I would move on as much as I could. I drove cross country to New York. I decided that the country setting of Northern NY was better. Less interaction with humans and I could spend the rest of her life in solitude. Carlisle would call me every once in a while, seeing how I was doing, though Alice gave him updates. Every time he calls he would offer to uproot the family and move with me. I knew deep down that no one wanted to move away from where they have settled.

"Edward, you know that we would move if you asked us. All you have to do is say yes," Carlisle said once again. In the background, I could hear Rosalie groan. She out of everyone was the least excited about moving.

"Carlise, you know I could never ask any of you to drop everything and start over—again. And I am sure Rosalie doesn't want to start high school over again." How I missed them. My family. But I could not handle being around them, especially Alice. She was worried about Bella all the time.

"Well, you know we are here if you need us, Edward. Oh Alice would like to speak to you."

Here it comes, the monthly update on Bella that Alice insisted I needed to know. She has told me about her drinking, drugs, cutting her self. I couldn't believe everything she has done. Alice wanted to go see her, but I couldn't let that happen. I think it would be hard for her to have any involvement with the Cullen family. It would just break her.

"EDWARD!! Are you sitting down. Something I need to talk to you about. Its about Bella." Alice had worry in her voice.

"Alice, I can not handle another update on Bella. Won't it eventually stop. She has to move on at some point."

"I don't _see _that happening. Its getting worse. Edward, Bella is in the hospital...." Alice fell silent.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Here is Chapter 2. I won't be updating until I have 10 reviews. Thanks.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the obvious characters.

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Chapter 2

EPOV

I stumbled back. _Bella... in the... hospital. _ I couldn't believe it. I didn't think she did this herself... it had to be someone else. "Who did this to her Alice, what happened?!?," I demanded. How could this happen. Everything that I had worked so hard for, keeping her safe, was over.

"She did this to herself. She took pills. Charlie found her in time, but they don't know if she is going to make it. She is in a coma. Edward, are you there?"

I couldn't speak. My life was over. This could not be happening. How did Alice miss this... "Yes. How did you not see this Alice! You insist on giving me updates on Bella all the damn time, and this time you just missed it!!"

"No. I stopped watching her. You think you are the only one who cares for Bella. I love her, she is like my sister, Edward. I could no longer watch her in pain. I know you wanted to keep her safe, but did you not think that you are the one person that could hurt her the most. You know this is over you." I could hear the pain in Alice's voice. She was right, how selfish of me to expect her to watch Bella destroy herself when I couldn't.

"Alice. Please. I'll be in Forks in a few hours. I'll catch the next plane out."

"We will meet you there."

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The plane landed, and I was the first one off the plane. As I walked as fast as humanly possible down the hall leading to the terminal, I could hear my family's thoughts. They were in my head once again like not long ago.

_Edward. You're finally here. Come on please hurry. I need to see Bella. I can not believe was has happened to her. Its not looking good. Even Carlisle seems worried, even though he would never say it. Doesn't want to worry anyone. _Alice, of course she would have seen me coming.

There at the end of the terminal, stood my family. Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, Alice, Esme, and Carlise. All there faces seemed worried. I couldn't help but look at the memories that Alice was replaying in her head.

There was Bella, laying in a hospital bed. Monitors everywhere. _Beep... Beep... Beep... _Bella's chest rose slightly with her breathing, but she was on a ventilator. Her skin paler than I remembered. Her lips were no longer a beautiful shade of red. They were a greyish blue. Beside her sat Charlie. He was holding her hand but the look on his face was full of worry and exhaustion. _He hasn't slept in days. He is not going to take me coming to see Bella very well. _

_Carlisle already has a plan. He is going to distract Charlie with some doctor mumbo jumbo while you go in and see her. I can not see anything more in the future. I suppose Jacob will be there because it is all blank. _Wonderful. I knew Jacob Black was not going to be happy when he sees me.

We all headed out of the airport and drove in silence to the hospital where Bella was. I tried my hardest to ignore the thoughts that were going through everyone's head. I wanted to be alone to wallow in my depression.

Carlisle came up to the hospital and my heart sank. I couldn't believe my Bella was in that hospital. I had to prepare myself for the worse. Listening to Carlisle thoughts didn't make me too hopeful for her. We walked into the hospital, still in silence. No one dare spoke a word. Only their thoughts were speaking for them

_For a human. This is ridiculous._ Rosalie thought, maybe forgetting I could hear her, maybe she intended on me hearing her. I wasn't sure.

I turned towards Rosalie and if looks could kill—and if she technically wasn't already dead—my look would have killed her. "Then go home," I said very quietly, so low that humans would not be able to hear me. Rosalie just looked at me and walked away.

"We are here to see Isabella Swan. She was admitted yesterday morning." Esme was already at the desk. She was the most friendly and she could get what we wanted.

"I see," said the receptionist, "Well, let me just look up her file and I can get you her room number." There was a short pause as she typed in Bella's name "She is on the third floor, room 3643."

"Thank you." We all headed to the elevator when I realized that the first time in a year that I am going to see Bella was going to be in a hospital and she was in a coma. I couldn't believe what was happening. Alice must have noticed that I had stopped half way to the elevator. She was heading back to me.

_Edward, are you okay. _ She didn't bother speaking when she knew I would be reading her thoughts.

"Alice, I think I need to do this alone," her face dropped, I knew she wanted to see Bella herself but I needed a moment alone, "Please. I promise you can see her too. I just need a moment alone with her. I haven't seen her for a year."

"I understand. Carlisle will get Charlie out of the room. He is going to try to convince him to go home. He hasn't slept at all so he must be real tired." Alice walked away to tell the rest of the family what I wanted. They decided it would be better if they went up without me to greet Charlie. Carlisle was good at persuading people so I knew there wouldn't be a problem with him leaving. I did have to worry about Jacob though. Alice said she couldn't _see_ anything and she figured it was because he was around. I didn't smell him around though so who knows.

I gave them a head start so that Charlie would already be gone when I was to go up there. I waited to hear the conversation through Carlisle thoughts.

"_Charlie, how are you? We heard about Bella through a colleague of mine. I am so sorry. How is she doing?"_ Carlisle met up with Charlie at the coffee machine. I saw Charlie's face through Carlisle eyes. I saw the worry and the sadness.

_"Mr. Cullen. I'm alright. It's been a long 24 hours. Is _Edward _with you?" _He said my name with disgust. He had every right to. Look what I have done to his daughter. Carlisle knew I had to see Bella and the only way I could was to lie to Charlie.

_"No he's not, Charlie. We haven't heard from him in a few months. Kinda isolated himself somewhere on the East Coast." _Relief flowed over Charlie's face. _"Charlie, why don't you go home and clean up and get some sleep. We don't have a problem staying with Bella. Alice has been itching to come back to see Bella. Unfortunately it had to be now. I have no problem staying here. Gives me a chance to catch up with old colleagues."_

_"I couldn't ask you guys to do that."_

_"Mr. Swan, we have no problem staying here with her. We consider her family as well." _It was Alice who spoke this time.

_"Are you sure you guys don't mind?" _

_"No, its fine Charlie. Really."_

_"Well, eh, thanks. I'll be back in a few hours."_

_"Take your time. Gets some sleep. We have no problem being here."_

_"Thanks." _I realized then I was standing at the bottom of the elevators where Charlie would be arriving any minute. I walked quickly over to the staircase. Once I was out of the eye of the public, I ran up to the third floor in about a 1/10th of a second. I stood there waiting to make sure he had headed into the elevators.

_He's gone, Edward. _It was Alice. She must have _saw_ me waiting. I opened the doors and rushed towards the rest of my family. We walked slowly towards her room. Then I saw it. 3643. She was right behind that wall. Just a few more steps. I turned and opened the door and there she was... _Bella._

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